“I'd say first game of the season, we weren't fit enough in terms of being ready for a Premier League fixture. We weren't fit enough and we weren't in the right place," Callum Wilson told Michail Antonio last December.
Newcastle 's struggles with fitness last term were well-documented. This time around there will be no such mistake as Eddie Howe whips his players into shape with little over one month until the Premier League opener with Nottingham Forest.
In fact, there are a number of stark contrasts between this summer and what was on offer 12 months ago, as most of the Newcastle first-team arrive back at Darsley Park on Friday. For starters, Howe has brought his group of players back five days earlier than Steve Bruce opted for in 2021.
